Frugal Friday

 

Wow, even colder out than yesterday.... It seems the warm up has been changed to the weekend. Now do I even want to go out into the cold, or should I wait for warmer temperatures..... I do so badly need to get out of the house, even if it is just a trip to get gas and to the bank for our biweekly allowances. I could also use a container of milk as well and could actually get that at the gas station.

Now what frugal habits did we continue to use while Kurt and Kris were home.

1.  Leftovers were always used in other meals or for another meal.

2.  I finished the mitts and since the wool yarn was gifted to me well, other than time spent making them, they were totally free to fashion.

3.  I downloaded some free reading material onto my ereader. I also got some books that were 80-90% off.

4.  Kris also helped me to find a USB compatible DVD drive for our laptops at 60% off. We have needed one for awhile now. 

5.  Even though it has been really cold here in Saskatchewan, I have opened my drapes and blinds on the sunny days. This helps keep heating costs down as our big front window radiates lots of heat into a room.

6.  Drapes and blinds are closed at night to keep the heat in.

7.  Line dried three loads downstairs.

I hope you all had a frugal ending to the year. It is very hard to believe that this is the last day of 2021.

Everybody have a wonderful day.

God bless.

Thursday Tidbits

 

We are still more or less in the deep freeze here, and while it will warm up a little, it is still going to be pretty darn cold for the start of the new year.

Because it is going to be so cold I plan on going out shopping tomorrow while it is a bit warmer. Also it is the end of the month so I may as well get what I need so I don't have to face all the people hitting the after holiday sales. All this to say I will be making my lists up, heading to the bank, and getting things done early. We don't need much so I should be in and out very quickly. I also want to drop off a cheque at the church to top off our giving this year (must pick up the new envelopes as well). 

I finished the mitts today and sewn up and will share a picture with you all soon. I have enough left that I can even make a toque. Just need to find a pattern that I like and will add that to the list of projects that need doing next month.

Speaking of projects and goals let's see how well I did with this months.

1.  Finish Kris's gift.  Done

2.  Finish baking and candy making.  Done

3.  Decorate the house.  Done, just not as much as usual.

4.  Sew Harvey's pj's.  Done

5.  Make donation in Harvey's name to the Salvation Army.  Kind of sort of did. I went and bought 4 packages that our Co-op grocery store does up and put them in the food bank box. It was just too crowded for me to feel comfortable in the Salvation Army store any time I went there.

So I actually managed to get everything done, and before Christmas too.

Now on to January's Goals (all project ones for right now, still thinking of financial and personal goals).

1.  Work on t-shirt rug maybe with luck even get it finished.

2.  Work on my quilt. I would like to get the hand quilting completed.

3.  Sew draft dodgers for the front and side door.

4.  Restock knitted dishcloths (make at least 6).

5.  Knit 3 pairs of socks using the sock loom I bought awhile back.

6.  Knit three scarves.

7.  Knit one toque to use up the remains of the free wool yarn I got.

Lots of knitting to be done, but that will help work the yarn stash down this month.

Everybody have a wonderful evening.

God bless.

Baby It's Cold Out There

 We had our coldest night so far this winter, and things do not seem to be warming up very much either. I am a bit worried about Kris being on the road today heading home. He did fill his tank last night, he will have food and extra blankets in his vehicle, and I am making sure he has a toque and scarf as well. I will also give him strict orders to call or text when he arrives at his apartment. 

Me, well I am staying close to home and celebrating my birthday by doing as little as possible. I plan on some knitting, taking in some seams on a top, and enjoying the sun that is beating in our front picture window. I will also be getting rid of some of the sweets I made for our Christmas feasting. 

I thought I would share some of my gifts with all of you.

For Christmas I got

This pottery tea pot from Kurt.

These are just the small tubes of hand lotion from the 4 (yes 4) gift sets that Kris bought me from The Body Shop. I have the shower gel, body lotions, puffs, and scrubs put away in the cabinet already.

Harvey got me lots of gift cards. Kris helped me get the Google Play on on the TV computer so Harv and I can rent and watch some movies.

Now since today is my birthday, and Kurt would be gone I got to open my gifts early.

Kurt got me two hand painted silk scarves. Now I just have to learn how to wear/tie them.

Harvey made me this to store my vinyl rolls on which gives me more storage on the bookshelf in the sewing/craft room.

Kris gave me two large three wick candles, and many more wax melts than I wanted to pull out. I grabbed the lavender one to photograph.

I even managed to have an early birthday supper as Harvey sprang for pizza last night.

Everybody have a wonderful day. 

God bless.

Thrifty Tuesday

 

Good morning everyone. I am going to try something a bit differently, something I first did when I started my blogging journey. I used to post before I headed out to work in the morning and that is what I am going to try and start once again. Well, at least while the weather is frost bite inducing and I plan on walking inside. Then visit all of you a bit later in the day.

So what thriftiness have I been up to this week???? With the boys being home I did a bit of mending for them, sewed on some buttons, fixed a hem that kind of thing.

I did a bit of darning for myself and have marked some seams to take in a top (if it works I have another exactly like it in a different colour that I will do as well).

I am using up bits and bobs from the fridge and fridge freezer.

Rather than buying or making an appetizer for our get together, I took loads of my homemade candy and squares. They were a big hit.

I asked Harvey to make me something to put my vinyl rolls on for storage (they were scattered all over the sewing/craft room) for my birthday. So he got to use up bits and bobs of lumber in his workroom as well. I got my gift a bit early and now it is hanging up and covered with said vinyl.

I downloaded some free and inexpensive reading material. That should keep me happily bedtime reading for awhile.

Still saving twist ties and plastic produce bags. 

Hopefully this posts as blogger seems to be acting very strangely.

Everybody have a wonderful day.

God bless.

Menu Monday

 

Christmas is over, and Kurt left this afternoon so he could stop on his way home and visit a friend. He took a rapid test before he left to make sure he was healthy and since he does not have Omicron, we more than likely don't either. He did leave three tests here at home for us to use if we need to. I may pick up another set of 5 just in case. 

Kris is still here, and probably will not be leaving until later tomorrow or even Wednesday.

This means that fairly soon I will only be cooking for two once again.

However here are the menus for the upcoming week. Subject to change (usually just shift between days).

Monday

Leftover ham made into a casserole. I think we will finish up the salad as well.

Tuesday

Leftover turkey. If Kris is still here I think I will be making turkey tetrazzini and serving it with either peas or perhaps some cut up raw veggies and dip.

Wednesday

Clean out the fridge. Lots of leftovers to use up I am sure.

Thursday 

Leftover stew with homemade bread slices.

Friday

A small lazy perogy casserole.

Saturday

Soup and sandwiches. A lighter meal and one that won't see me standing over a hot stove or oven for hours.

Sunday

I was going to make a beef roast, but I have lots of sliced frozen beef in the fridge freezer so I will warm that up, make mashed potatoes, boil some carrots and call the meal done. I may even make gravy.

It is very hard to believe that this year is quickly drawing to an end. We were under mandates for much of the year, but really the year went by very quickly. Let's hope the upcoming year marches by as quickly.

Everybody have a wonderful evening.

God bless.

Early Morning, A Wish For All of You

 

God bless all of you. Enjoy the holidays, reach out to family and friends.

Safe And Snug In Their Beds

 Just a quick early morning post (hope to get to visit you all during the rest of the day) while all are sleeping.

Kurt and Kris have made it home. Kris in the late afternoon, and Kurt in the early evening. 

I was worried about Kurt driving a truck, borrowed from a friend, that he didn't know that well. He did say that about an hour into Saskatchewan he hit sheer ice on the highway for awhile, and then by Moosejaw it started to snow, and snow, and snow. It quit snowing here about the time he arrived. 

In case anyone is wondering why he wasn't driving his own vehicle well there was a problem with it. Kurt had thought at one point a couple of weeks ago that the problem had been fixed....turned out what they fixed (not at the dealers) was not the whole problem. The car started to act up again almost immediately. So this time he took it to the dealers. On Monday, the day he was going to come home, of course. Now the mechanics at the dealership couldn't do anything that day $ it went up on the hoist on Tuesday. By mid afternoon, a diagnosis had finally been made. Turns out his turbo charger needed replacement and it is not an inexpensive replacement, it will cost him close to $3K to get it fixed. The second bit of news Kurt got was that it couldn't be worked on this week, or even next week. It seems he will be without a vehicle for a little while.

Hearing of his problem and him not being able to come home, good friends of his (the wife works with him and the husband met him in the gym way before the two were married) offered the use of their truck so he could come home. The two 

are in Hawaii right now, though are planning to come back a bit early due to Omicron. I am thinking of making them a knitted blanket or a quilt as a thank you.

We had offered to drive up to Kurt's place, but he did not want us on the road at this time of year. 

Well I am off to get a bit more work done so I can perhaps finish off the third pair of mitts today. If not well I will work on them tomorrow as well. Using up lots (well not lots really, but enough) yarn on these. 

Everybody have a wonderful day.

God bless.